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Alstone · Moderator & Site Supporter

Well slavia what can I say! Humm… You know this project seems to have go on for an eternity, I think I was a lad when you started, it really is a forum on it’s own and it hasn’t “finished” you will still find bits to fiddle with. Laughing

The overall picture it conjures up for me is an Arabic musket rifle encrusted with jewels and inlayed with gold. “Brilliant” this gun is unique, one of a kind because virtually all the custom bits were home made, not off the shelf that’s what makes the difference, and it goes to prove that you don’t need a big machine shop to produce fine work. Thumb Up!

I wish I had the patience to do stippling like that. YouAreAGod

Al

Slavia · Moderator

Slavia · Moderator

Postscript -
A newly tuned gun is in the same position as a "new" gun - you have to get to know it. As it turns out, the Mendoza likes RWS 9.3 grain Supermags (0.29" group at 10m). That, and that one sight screw is a lot happier being tight:

And for any of you with a Mendoza (or contemplating one), here's how they rate their current crop of rifles. The best they claim is a 8mm goup, or 0.31":

donec · Senior Member

What did you use to get the texture on the grips?

Slavia · Moderator

I used the Slavo-matic deluxe set (the standard set doesn't come with the vise grip).

Cut the border lines first. After you have finish sanded and de-whiskered, scribe the border lines with a knife, and then widen and deepen them with the border tool. I used a Dremel to make the tool from a discarded hacksaw blade (blades usually only wear out in the middle). The four teeth I chose are angled so it will cut on the pull stroke, because it seems a little easier to keep straight than by pushing. The little hook on the other end is to clean puddled finish out of the corners.

The stippling tool is one of those cheap Chinese screwdrivers that self-destruct just by looking at them. Again, I used a Dremel to cut and sharpen. The vise grip adds weight and make it easier to control. You bounce the point up and down, trying to strike with the same force at each blow. Try to hit the surface with a perpendicular blow, because angled blows will dig in and rip out wood fibers. Keep going until there is very little flat surface left. It helps to hold it up to a lamp so the light reflects off the remaining flat areas.

donec · Senior Member

Sounds like you used the high quality hand method rather than the more modern electric method of using an electric name etching toll for work in metal or the bump and grind of a Dremel tool. However you did a great job. I am thinking of removing the finish on my Storm XT and doing some etching adding a cheek plate and refinishing it. You did such a good job I think I'll try to do that kind of look rather than the typical diamond pattern. This is why I ask. Thanks for the response.

Slavia · Moderator

"I am not opposed to "bump and grind" in a different context.

I tried a Dremel with a very small ball tipped burr, but I didn't like the results of the sample piece. I would much prefer checkering, but the price of the tools and the steep learning curve made this more attractive.

I did the palm rest with a squared-off (pyramidal) point, and the main stock with a round (conical) point. Once the finish goes on it doesn't make much difference.

Adding surface area and opening up the grain will make the stippling drink up stain/finish and get darker. In this application that was fine, since the stippled areas were "added" wood of a slightly different color, and I wanted to disguise that fact. You could experiment with a wood conditioner to even out the stain absorption. I used a brush to work the stain into the stippling, and then a clean rag to "pat" the stain out. Dragging the rag sideways across the rough stippling will rip out cloth fibers and leave them stuck in the finish.

I also used a brush and rag to apply Tru-Oil to the stippled areas; the flat areas were rubbed as normal. The later coats of spray poly made that unnecessary.

I found the borders to be the most difficult. The stippling is pretty easy, but tedious. You will develop a rhythm, but slow way down at the edges/borders or you'll jump over the line.

donec · Senior Member

kim · New Member

Hello everybody

I enjoyed this post and use to modify my mendozas, however I noticed you can control the first stage trigger travel changing one little piece (plus a small screw and a spring), check the photo:
The Little Steel bar in front of the trigger is sometimes drilled and taped in some mendoza rifles. Mine wasn´t and its hardened, I pried open the lips of the unit (also hardened, be careful) and installed the new "piece" I made in my lathe (aligning the hole with the trigger), put a screw with a spring and now you have full control over the trigger